After that day, Xiang Lan continued to work diligently but slowed her pace. Needlework that used to take half a day now took her one or two days to complete; cleaning the rooms that previously took over half an hour now took a full hour; when running errands, instead of hurrying back and forth as before, she now walked slowly, taking time to admire the garden scenery.

Because she worked more slowly while appearing constantly busy, Cao Lihuan had no choice but to assign tasks to Huai Rui and Hui Er instead. When others asked Xiang Lan for help, she would assist with minor tasks, but if they tried to push extra work onto her, she would immediately refuse, saying, “I still have work to do and can’t manage more right now, I’m truly sorry.”

This resistance made her days somewhat easier, though Cao Lihuan looked upon her with increasing displeasure and frequently scolded her. Xiang Lan would listen silently, maintaining a respectful attitude while internally planning when she could find time to paint and sell more pictures.

A few days later, Old Madam Zeng passed away. As she had lived to an advanced age, it was considered a joyous mourning. The entire household wore white mourning clothes, even the cats and dogs were wrapped in white cloth. Lin Zhangzheng, the First Master, returned to Jinling with his wife and children for the funeral. With the First Branch’s return, the household buzzed with discussion.

“With the First Branch’s Master and Madam returning, Second Young Master, Third Young Master, First Young Lady, Second Young Lady, and Third Young Lady will also come back,” said Hui Er, taking out a small five-colored porcelain jar and scooping out some tea leaves with a small silver spoon, brewing them with hot water and holding the cup in her palms.

“That’s the tribute tea Madam gave to Young Lady Huan, just this tiny bit, and you’re greedy enough to drink it. Be careful Young Lady Huan doesn’t notice! Last time you stole two osmanthus cakes, I had to cover up for you,” Huai Rui laughed mockingly from the rattan daybed. “Besides, whether they return or not has nothing to do with us.”

“How can you say it doesn’t matter? I heard First Madam is formidable and already doesn’t get along with Madam Lou. When she returns, it’ll be a battle between dragon and tiger! And there’s Third Young Master Lin Jinting, the only male descendant from Second Madam’s branch. He went to Beijing two years ago to study under First Master, and he’s returning for the funeral too. I heard he’s quite handsome.”

Huai Rui snorted, “Pah! Shameless girl, so you’re thinking about men.”

Hui Er held her head high, “What’s wrong with thinking about them? Am I not allowed to even think? First Branch’s Second Young Master Lin Jinxuan, though born of a concubine, is said to be an extremely refined scholar, but he’s been sickly since childhood and often ill. He stayed in Beijing this time and couldn’t return. With just Third Young Master Ting returning, all the maids in the household are already stirred up, each finding ways to make new clothes and accessories, secretly competing.”

Huai Rui sneered, “During Old Madam Zeng’s mourning period, everyone must wear plain clothes, no flowers or makeup allowed. What style could they possibly manage?”

Hui Er giggled, “As the saying goes, ‘To look pretty, wear mourning white.’ The other day I saw Jin Zan and Yin Zan together embroidering white clothes with gray-blue thread, and some had silver accessories made to wear during mourning. When I saw the designs they brought, tsk tsk, they were truly novel and beautiful. I want to have a couple made too.” She then called out loudly, “Xiang Lan, do you want to get accessories? I asked Jin Zan if four hairpins could be discounted by Sixty Wen. Shall we pool our money and get two each?”

Xiang Lan had been listening to their conversation with keen ears. Hearing Hui Er call her, she walked out with her embroidery frame and smiled, “The silver hairpin I have now works fine for me.”

“How can that be the same? Your hairpin has turned black, and the style is old and outdated. It’s a shame you keep polishing it with fine cloth. If it were mine, I would have thrown it away long ago,” Hui Er sneered, grabbing some melon seeds to crack. “Never mind the hairpin, your entire outfit is old clothes, looking worn and rustic. Going out looking so undignified, aren’t you embarrassing our Young Lady?”

Hui Er’s words were always barbed, but Xiang Lan controlled herself and put on a playful smile: “I came to the household late and missed the new clothing distribution. I’m not as well-off as Sister Huai Rui, who doesn’t lack food, drink, or clothing, nor as presentable as Sister Hui Er, who always receives rewards from Young Lady Huan. I’m just a poor maid living on my monthly allowance – one silver hairpin is already precious to me. I must seem quite pathetic to Sister Hui Er. I know Sister Hui Er has many nice things – if you find me too shabby, why not give me a few items?” Internally, she laughed: “Hui Er is known as a ‘pluck every passing goose’ type, keeping a tight grip on her food and belongings while going around mooching off others and stealing Young Lady Huan’s food. What I just said must have annoyed her.”

In her previous life at the Shen household, she had witnessed plenty of scheming among sisters competing for elders’ favor and had even helped her mother strategize against concubines and sisters-in-law in their power struggles – plenty of hidden arrows and dark winds. Hui Er’s little tricks were truly beneath her notice. Having just entered the Lin household and lacking a stable position, she didn’t want to invite trouble. Moreover, after two lifetimes, she was tired of petty squabbles, so she pretended not to hear Hui Er’s provocations, though she wouldn’t allow herself to be bullied or insulted freely.

Hui Er was immediately silenced, her face alternating between red and white, clearly angry. Xiang Lan smiled at her and said, “I was just joking with Sister Hui Er,” then turned back to her embroidery, thinking to herself: “Indeed, she’s still an inexperienced young girl, stumped by just these few words. If it were me, I would have picked out a couple of accessories to give away. With such a narrow mind, she won’t go far in life.”

Just as Hui Er, further irritated by Xiang Lan’s response, was about to make more cutting remarks, Cao Lihuan rushed in from outside, exclaiming loudly, “Something terrible has happened!”

Huai Rui, who had been teasing a dog with a piece of smoked meat, hurriedly shooed the dog out upon seeing Cao Lihuan enter, asking, “What’s terrible?”

Cao Lihuan sat down at the eight immortals’ table, caught her breath, and said, “Ying Ge lost her child – Chun Yan poisoned her!”

Xiang Lan was shocked, nearly pricking her finger with the needle, and quickly stood up and walked out. Huai Rui and Hui Er were stunned, both asking, “Is it true? Who told you this?”

“Of course it’s true, Cousin Young Master Lou himself judged the case, and Chun Yan confessed. A few days ago, the doctor diagnosed Ying Ge as being at risk of miscarriage and prescribed medicine for her to take. Chun Yan, who had always been at odds with Ying Ge, secretly found an opportunity to dismiss the maid brewing the medicine and added some abortifacient to it. The medicine must have been too strong – Ying Ge lost the child after just one bowl, and she’s still bleeding heavily now. Tsk tsk, it’s truly pitiful,” Cao Lihuan said, accepting and drinking the tea Hui Er poured her in one gulp. “I just went to Zhi Chun Hall and saw it heavily guarded. I had to question Old Woman Xu from Zhi Chun Hall for quite a while before she told me.”

Xiang Lan couldn’t help but ask, “What happened to Chun Yan?”

Cao Lihuan sneered, “What else could happen? Master ordered her to be sold far away, and her entire family will suffer the consequences too. Master said none of them would be spared. Cousin Young Master is already twenty-five with no children, and finally, when there was hope for an heir, it was destroyed. If it were me, I would have beaten that worthless girl to death.”

Huai Rui said, “Perhaps it’s because of some lingering sentiment – after all, Chun Yan did serve Master for a time.”

Hui Er curled her lip and said, “I think she deserved her fate. Several times when I went to Zhi Chun Hall to deliver things, I saw her standing in the courtyard scolding the young maids, acting so high and mighty. None of Master Lou’s other concubine-maids acted like her. Chun Yan was only so arrogant because Madam Lou favored her somewhat. Now that things have come to this, even Madam Lou can’t protect her.”

However, Xiang Lan felt this matter wouldn’t end as simply as “being sold far away.” Thinking of Chun Yan, as fresh and delicate as spring flowers and willows, who had lost her mind and ruined herself, all her schemes and competitions ending in such a fate, even dragging down her whole family – though she didn’t get along with Second Aunt Lu, it wasn’t some deep hatred. They were all just pitiful people trying to make a living in this world.